Meet our Executive Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services

Dr. Samer Kazziha, a nationally acclaimed cardiologist, is Executive Medical Director for the Crittenton Hospital Medical Center’s Shelton Heart Center since 2007. Passionate about serving patients, Dr. Kazziha is an important physician within the Crittenton Network.

Following his heart

When it came to studying the heart, it was love at first sight. Dr. Kazziha was initially drawn to the cardiovascular studies in medical school and quickly realized cardiology was his obvious choice. The driving passion stems from the possibilities to impact the patient’s life and health outcome. Physicians are able to actively influence the course of their patient’s health journey. Dr. Kazziha understood cardiologists are able to see results and changes that saves lives. For him, doing life-changing procedures never gets old.

Alongside the impactful relationships he fosters with his patients, Dr. Kazziha was also drawn to the cardiovascular practice because of the opportunity to remain a life-long student in the field. He thrives on the progressive nature of cardiovascular science as a continually changing field. There are always new advancements in technology and procedures that cardiologists are able to study or analyze.

Advice from the Heart Expert

As February is National Heart Health month, Crittenton’s Executive Medical Director of Cardiovascular Services has some advice: He urges you to not be embarrassed by chest pain and to respond immediately to possible symptoms. If you experience chest pain, do not wait to be checked out. With most heart conditions, early detection is key. February should be the time to realize that the heart keeps you alive and we are all at risk for heart disease. Be tuned in to your body and symptoms and don’t be in denial.

Under the leadership of Dr. Kazziha, Crittenton’s Chest Pain Center has earned the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care’s accreditation. It recognizes Crittenton as a center of excellence in quality care, cost management, and patient satisfaction. It is an elite mark of excellence and the Crittenton team is prepared for any situation with a focus on patient care. Our goal is prevention and improved heart health before there is an emergency, but if there is, our team is ready.

Why Crittenton?

Crittenton hospital is home to many renowned physicians, including Dr. Kazziha. According to Dr. Kazziha, Crittenton Hospital is the right size. “It is big enough to bring our patients cutting edge technology, but small enough to make you family,” he explains. “You know that you will be taken care of with dignity and the utmost compassion.”

About Dr. Kazziha

Dr. Kazziha received his medical education at the University of Damascus, Health Center and Affiliate Hospitals and completed his fellowships in Critical Care Medicine and Cardiovascular Preventive Medicine at the University Health Center of Pittsburgh. He trained in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia, Interventional Cardiology at William Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak and Vascular and Intervention at the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Kazziha received the National Research Service Award in Epidemiology from NIH in 1985 and the Cardiology Research Training Award in 1990. He also was nominated for the National Young Investigator Award for the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation in 1992. He is actively involved in clinical research and has published interventional cardiology and vascular disease topics.